Bell ringing apparatus



u 4, 1953 A. MACAN BELL RINGING APPARATUS Filed April 7, 1951 PatentedAug. 4, 1953 BELL RINGING APPARATUS Albert L. Macan, La Grange, Ill.,assignor to General Motors Corporation, Detroit, Mich., a corporation ofDelaware Application April 7, 1951, Serial No. 219,791

14 Claims.

This invention relates to locomotive bell ringing mechanisms of thepneumatic type.

The principal object of the invention is to provide a pneumatic bellringing mechanism and simple and compact air cleaning means connectedtherewith for separating and for discharging any moisture and dust fromthe air supplied the bell ringing mechanism and cushion mounting meansfor resiliently supporting the bell, bell ringing mechanism, and aircleaning means on a locomotive underframe to insure uninterruptedoperation in freezing weather and dirty conditions present in thislocation and to also prevent transmission of vibrations between thebell, bell ringing mechanism and locomotive underframe.

The combined means by which this object is accomplished will becomeapparent by reference to the following detailed description and drawingsillustrating one modification of the invention which enables a bellmechanism to be mounted on a locomotive underframe.

Figure 1 of the drawings is a vertical side elevation view of the bellmechanism and the mounting details thereof.

Figure 2 is an enlarged fragmentary crosssectional elevational viewtaken in the plane of line 2-2 of Figure 1, showing the details of thecentrifugal air cleaning and water separating structure.

Figure 3 is a reduced, transverse sectional view taken on line 3-3 ofFigure 2 with parts shown broken away and in section.

As best seen in Figures 1 and 2 the bell mechanism includes an aircleaning device comprising a hollow body l having axially alignedchambers 3 and 5 of circular cross-section in the ends of the body and areduced diameter neck portion 1 intermediate the chambers 3 and 5 and inaxial alignment therewith. The axis of the body I is shown disposedvertically and the chamber 3 becomes the lower chamber 3 and serves as aseparating chamber and the chamber 5 becomes the upper chamber andserves as a clean air chamber.

The separating chamber 3 is provided with a bottom wall 9 taperingradially inwardly and upwardly from a lower cylindrical side wall I land the upper chamber side wall l3 tapers radially inwardly and upwardlyfrom the lower wall II toward the neckv portion 1. A threaded opening I5is provided in the upstanding central portion of the bottom wall 9 ofthe separating chamber 3. A horizontal air inlet port I! is disposedtangentially in the upper tapered side wall l3 of the separating chamber3 and a small diameter horizontal discharge port 19 is disposed inopposite tangential direction to the air inlet port I! in the oppositeside of the lower cylindrical side wall ll of the separating chamber 3adjacent the depressed peripheral portion of the bottom wall 9, as bestseen in Figures 2 and 3. The outer end of the air inlet port I1 isinternally threaded for connection to a pipe connection leading to asource of air under pressure.

The threaded opening l5 in the bottom wall 9 of the separating chamber 3is screwed on the externally threaded upper end of the nipple 2i leadingto a pneumatic bell ringing mechanism, of a well known type. Thispneumatic bell ringing mechanism may, as shown in Figure l, include asuitable cylinder 69 located in the upper interior of the bell 25 bythreaded securement to the lower end of the nipple 2|. One end of thecylinder is closed and is in communication with the interior of thenipple by an air inlet passageway fil. A piston 62 is slidablyreciprocable in the cylinder and controls the opening and closing of anelongated exhaust port 64 located in the side wall of the cylinder at adistance from the passageway 6|, air pressure in the cylinder beingrelieved by this port when in registry with an opening 65 in the piston.The clapper 23 of the bell which is hinged at 63 has an arm 66 extendingthrough the exhaust port "ct and interengaging the side of the piston.This specific bell ringing structure per se is old and, well known inthe art, as shown by the U. S. Patent 1,808,313 to Miller, and forms nopart of my invention. The nipple 2|, as best seen in Figure 2, projectsupwardly through a central opening in the top of the bell 25 and througha hollow bell spacer block 21, provided with an upper mounting flange29, and a nut 3i and washers 33 are placed on the upper end of thenipple 21, below the body i of the air cleaner in order to clamp thebell 25 to the spacer block 2?. A tubular clean air outlet 35 of the aircleaner is threaded in the internally threaded upper end of the nipple21 of the bell ringing mechanism and the upper end of this tubular airoutlet 35 extends through the neck I of the body I and into the upperclean air chamber 5. A pipe cap 37, having an axial air inlet orifice 39of substantially the same diameter as the air discharge port 59, isscrewed on the upper end of the tubular air outlet 35, shown positionedin the upper clean air chamber 5 in Figure 2.

The mounting flange 29 of the bell spacer block 21 is resilientlysupported by means of rubber cushions 4i placed on opposite faces of thelower portion of a U shaped bell mounting bracket 45, the upper portionsof which are secured to the underframe ie of a locomotive. Bolts Hextend through suitable aligned openings in the flange 2!; and bracket35 and through the cushions '4] with nuts M and suitable washers to andti shown on these bolts for retaining the cushions '4! in compression.The bell, bell ringing mechanism and the body I of the air cleanermounted thereon are accordingly resiliently mounted by the rubbercushions ii on the bell mounting bracket 45 to cushion vibration of thebell and bell ringing mechanism and air cleanerand thereby effectivelyreduce the transmission of sound vibrations from the bell to thelocomotive underframe.

The operation of the separating device is as follows:

Air under pressure enters the tangential airinlet port I! in the uppertapered side wall It of the separating chamber 3 and is Whirled at highvelocity therein to cause separation of moisture and dirt therefrom bycentrifugal force. The angular velocity of the whirling air increases ininverse ratio of the square of the distance of the center of rotationand hence the angular velocity at the upper, smaller diameterend of thetapered wan [3 is much greater than at the lower, larger diameter endand the maximum velocity of whirl and centrifugal separating force onthe particles of moisture and dirt occurs in the reduced diameter neck'5. The separated moisture and dirt particles fall to the depressedperipheral portion of the bottom wall '9 and are discharged through thereduced diameter, discharge port 19 which, as mentioned, disposed inopposite tangential direction to the air inlet port I! and faces intothe whirling stream of separated particles. The clean air is whirled atmaximum velocity and passes upwardly through the neck 7 into the upperclean air chamber 5 from which it can escape only in a downwarddirection through the reduced diameter orifice 39 in the pipe cap 3? enthe upper end of the tubular clean air outlet pipe 35 and passesdownwardly therethrough and thence through nipple 2-1 and the passagewayS! 'to the closed end of the cylinder '60 of the bell ringing mechanism."Because of the restrictive effect of the orifice '39 on the rate of airflow into the cylinder '68 and the inertia of the clapper "ai'rpressureb'etween the closed end of the cylinder and the piston 62 willalternately build up and fall off as the piston alternately covers anduncovers the exhaust port 6 3 in reciprocating with the swingingclapper, all "ill-a wen known manner.

The separator device thus insures that only cleandr'y air is supplied tothe bell ringing me'chanism and provides continuous and trouble freeoperation thereof under dry and dusty operating conditions and also infreezing weather conditions in which the moisture in the air wouldfreeze and cut off the air supply to the actuating mechanism. Themounting cushions for the bell and bell operating mechanism effectivelyreduces transmission of sound vibrations from the bell to the locomotiveunderframe.

I claim:

1. In a bell mechanism, a bell, a bell ringing mechanism including apneumatic bell ringing cylinder Within the bell, an air cleaner forsep-" arating and for discharging separated moisture and dirt particlesfrom the air supplied to the cylinder, a nipple interconnecting saidbell, .cylinder and 'air cleaner, a mounting bracket and cushionmounting means for resiliently support-- ing the bell, bell ringingmechanism and air cleaner on the mounting bracket, said air cleaner andbell being secured to said mounting means by said nipple.

2. In a locomotive bell mechanism, a locomotive underframe, a bell, apneumatic bell ringing mechanism for the bell including a pneumaticbel'l ringing cylinder, an air cleaner for separating and fordischarging separated moisture and dirt from the air supplied thecylinder, a bell mounting bracket secured to the underside of thelocomotive underframe and resilient cushion means resiliently supportingthe bell, the bell ringing mechanism and the air cleaner on thebellmounting' bracket, and a nipple for conducting air from the aircleaner to the cylinder and serving to clamp said air cleaner and bellto said resilient cushion means.

in a bell mechanism, a bell having a central upper opening, a pneumaticbell ringer including a cylmder'having an air inlet nipple extendingvertically upwardly through the openin in the bell, an air cleaner bodymounted on the upper end of the nipple, a bell mounting bracket,rubbeicushions on the bracket and means cooperating with said'nipple forremovabl'y connecting hell with the cushions and retaining the cushionscompressed, said air cleaner body having upper and lower chambers and areduced diameter intermediate portion in coaxial relation with thenipple, the upper chamber having cylindrical wall, the lower chamberhaving a lower cylindrical side wall portion and an upperside wallportion tapering therefrom toward the neck portion and a bottom walltapering upwardly from the lower side Wall portion to the nipple, atubular clean air outlet conduit communicating at the lower end with thenipple and extending axially upwardly through the neck portion into theupper chamber and having a small diameter clean air inlet opening in theupper end, the lower chamher also having a port in each of the sidewallportions, said ports being disposed in opposite tangential relation andspaced circumferentially apart, the port in the upper'tapering wallportion serving as an air pressure inlet port and the port in the lowercylindrical wall portion serving as a discharge port, said dischargeport having a diameter substantially equal to the upper clean airopening in the clean air conduit.

4. In a bell ringing mechanism, a pneumatic bell ringing cylinder and anair cleaning device comprisin a body having large diameter end chambersand a small'di ameter neck between the chambers, one chamber having apair of tangentially, opposite disposed ports in the side, one portbeing of smaller-diameter and located in the Wall adjacent the outer endand serving as a discharge port, and the other port serving as an airinlet port and tubular air outlet means conentially opposite disposedports in theside, one

port being of smaller diameter and located in the wall adjacent theouter end and serving as a -discharge port and the other portservingas'an air inlet port and tubular air outlet means extendingcentrally from the "outer end "of said chamber through the neck portionint'o't'he other chamber, the tubular 'airoutlet means having a 55lreduced diameter entrance and connected at the outer end to thepneumatic cylinder.

6. In a pneumatic bell ringing mechanism, a pneumatic bell ringingcylinder and an air cleaning device having enlarged diameter upper andlower chambersandasmall diameter neck portion therebetween, the lowerchamber having a tangential air inlet port in the side and a smallerdiameter discharge port in the side adjacent the 'bottom and tubular airoutlet means communicating with the cylinder and extending upwardly fromthe bottom through the neck portion into the upper chamber.

7. In a pneumatic bell ringing mechanism, a pneumatic cylinder and anair cleaning device having enlarged diameter upper and lower cham bersand a reduced diameter neck portion therebetween, the lower chamberhaving a pair of vertically spaced ports extending in oppositetangential relation through the side, the upper port serving as an airinlet port and the lower port being of smaller diameter and serving as adischarge port, and a tubular air outlet connected at the lower end tothe cylinder and extending upwardly from the lower end of the body andthrough the central portion of the neck portion into the upper chamber.

8. In a pneumatic bell ringing mechanism, a pneumatic cylinder and anair cleaning device having enlarged diameter upper and lower chambersand a reduced diameter neck portion therebetween, the lower chamberhaving a pair of vertically spaced ports extending in oppositetangential relation through the side, the upper port serving as an airinlet port and the lower port being of smaller diameter and serving as adischarge port, and a tubular air outlet extending upwardly from thelower end through the central portion of the neck portion into the upperchamber, the upper end of the tubular outlet having a small diameter airentrance and the lower end communicating with the pneumatic cylinder.

9. In a pneumatic bell ringing mechanism, a pneumatic bell ringingcylinder and an air cleaning device comprising a body having verticallyaligned upper and lower chambers of circular cross-section having wallstapering inwardly from the outer ends and forming an intermediatesmaller diameter neck portion, said lower chamber having a pair oftangentially opposite disposed ports in the chamber wall, one port beinglocated adjacent the bottom of the lower chamber and serving as adischarge port and the other port being of larger diameter and locatedupwardly from the bottom and serving as an air inlet port and a tubularair outlet extending coaxially upwardly from the bottom of the lowerchamber through the neck portion and into the upper chamber andconnected at the lower end to the pneumatic cylinder.

10. In a pneumatic bell ringing mechanism, a pneumatic bell ringingcylinder and an air cleaning device comprising a body having verticallyaligned upper and lower chambers of circular cross-section having wallstapering inwardly from the outer ends and forming an intermediatesmaller diameter neck portion, said lower chamber having a pair oftangentially opposite disposed ports in the wall, one port being locatedadjacent the bottom of the lower chamber and serving as a discharge portand the other port being of larger diameter and located upwardly fromthe bottom and serving as an air inlet port and a tubular clean airoutlet extending coaxially upwardly from the bottom of the lower chamberthrough the neck portion and into the upper chamber, the upper end ofthe tubular air outlet having a reduced diameter air entrance opening ofsubstantially the same diameter as the discharge port and the lower endof the tubular clean air outlet communicating with the bell ringingcylinder.

11. In a locomotive bell mechanism, a pneu- Y matic bell ringer having apneumatic cylinder and ,an aircleaning device having a body, said body,havingadjacent chambers in alignment and of circular cross-section, theadjacent wall portions of the chambers tapering inwardly to form areduced diameter neck between the chambers, one chamber having a pair oftangential ports, one port being of smaller diameter and located in thewall adjacent the outer end to serve as a discharge port and the otherport being located in the wall inwardly from the outer end and servingas an air inlet port, the ports extending in tangentially oppositedirections with respect to the walll and a tubular air outlet connectedto and communicating with the cylinder and of smaller diameter than theneck extending centrally from the outer end into the other chamber andhaving a restricted air entrance opening.

12. In a locomotive bell ringing mechanism, a pneumatic bell ringingcylinder and an air cleaning device therefor having a body, said bodyhaving adjacent chambers in alignment and of circular cross-section, theadjacent wall portions of the chambers tapering inwardly to form areduced diameter neck between the chambers, one chamber having a pair oftangential ports, one port being of smaller diameter and located in thewall adjacent the outer end to serve as a discharge port and the otherport being located in the wall inwardly from the outer end and servingas an air inlet port, the ports extending in tangentially oppositedirections with respect to the wall and a tubular clean air outletconnected to the pneumatic cylinder and of smaller diameter than theneck extending centrally from the outer end into the other chamber andhaving a restricted air entrance opening of substantially the samediameter as the discharge port.

13. In a locomotive bell ringing mechanism, a pneumatic bell ringingcylinder and an air cleaning device comprising a body having verticallyaligned upper and lower chambers, the adjacent walls of the chamberstapering inwardly from the outer ends and forming a smaller diameterneck between the upper and lower chambers, the lower chamber having anupper air inlet port and a lower discharge port of smaller diameter, theports being disposed in the wall in tangentially opposite relation, anda tubular clean air outlet extending upwardly from the central portionof the lower end and through the central portion of the neck portion andinto the upper chamber, the upper end of the tubular air outlet having areduced diameter opening of substantially the same diameter as thedischarge port and the lower end of the tubular clean air outlet beingdirectly connected to the pneumatic bell ringing cylinder.

14. In a locomotive bell ringing mechanism, a pneumatic bell ringingcylinder and an air cleaning device having a body including verticallyaligned chambers of circular cross-section and a reduced diameter neckportion therebetween, the lower chamber serving as a moisture and dirtseparating chamber and having a lower cylindrical side wall and upperside wall tapering radially inwardly and upwardly therefrom and a bottomwall tapering upwardly tom the lower of the bottom wall of thelowerellamber and to sidewall to the eentez said upper side wall havingthe pneumatic bell ringing cylinder. an air pressure inlet port disposedtangentially therein the lower side wall having a small dil1- ameterdischarge port disposed tangentially 5 therein adjacent the bottom walland in opDQsite R f n e Cited th fil of thi patent tangential relationto the inlet port, the upper chamber being eir cylindrical form andserving as UNITED sTATES PATENTS a clean air chamber and a tubular cleanair out- Number- Name Date let leading from the upper c'hambep throughthe 10 1,4 2,583 Rqdess Feb. 5, 19.24 nee]; portion and conneetedtotheeentral portion 1, 8 61 une 2, 1 .31

